Hal Turner

Hal Turner. I had never heard of the guy until he responded to the blog "Hezbollah: Part II" where it was copied onto an Islamic chat forum site. He titled his response to my blog "Letter of an American". If Hal Turner is the average American, then our nation is in a helluva lot of trouble. Working out of a home-based studio, Mr. Turner broadcasts his invectives to a White Supremacist audience every Wednesday night. His distilled hate for non-whites is only surpassed by the open threats of violence seen in his comments section. Scroll through just a few and you will get the drift. Four letter words, weapons proficiency and advice telling other readers the best means to kill Jews is certainly vicious in nature. All readers know what I believe regarding free speech. Even voracious disagreement with the opinion of others is allowable as long as it does not cross a purposeful line to incite violence. It is o.k. to say you hate Jews, Blacks, Mexicans or Klingons from another planet. I can live with it. But do not, repeat, do not tell me you wish to kill or maim a person. You have just crossed the line from free speech to making a threat.

Hate is part of the emotional quotient of what it means to be human. But when hate does not seek out a suitable mate, rational thought, the hinges come loose in the psyche. I hate producers of child pornography and the pedophiles who rape our children. I hate them intensely. But my hatred will be coupled with rational thought which seeks to bring statutes to our state that handcuff their activity, strengthen enforcement and put the cretins in jail for a long time. Unhinged hatred, will make me pick up a gun and follow them to the courthouse to shoot them on the steps before their trial. See what I am getting at here? Sorry, Hal. But the majority of us do not want to return to the days where water fountains were labeled "For Whites Only". We do not want to return to a time when men were lynched without a trial, left exposed to the elements until their families came by night to cut them down. We do not want to return to a day when Jews in America changed their last names so they could gain entrance to some of our universities.

Hate which proclaims our black American citizens "savage negro beasts", or Jewish American citizens "Kikes" is also hate not bound to reason. It does not acknowledge great Americans such as Dr. George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Dr. Henry Kissinger or for that matter, many of the Jewish doctors or scientists in America who are involved in top level research endeavors to better our lives. The kind of hate propagated by Mr. Turner is based on only one thing: the gene pool. Yep, the gene pool over which none of us have any control when it comes to our own living and breathing on this earth! And where does it end? What about white grandparents with little half-and-half grandchildren they love? Don't forget blood donation. That last pint you received may have come from the arm of a Jewish man who is a consistent blood donor.

Ole Hal wants you to send him five or ten dollars a month to keep him on the air. What Mr. Turner really needs is to have his teeth cleaned.... with a toilet brush. But as always, good will triumph over evil. It is a universal law which will prevail because of its' truth.

So what should you do instead? Consider giving five or ten dollars a month to a charity that dispenses love and kindness in practical ways. Treat other people with kindness. Talk to your kids about what it means to be an American. Because by Hal's definition, 1/3 of my own neighborhood might be left out.

Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Promiscuous

Good Morning, Bob. Have you viewed the video, "Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado? I have included the lyrics and if you will watch the video, please tell me what you think. What are your concerns for your daughter if kids are watching this trash?

Tammy

Hey, Tammy. You know, I was intrigued some weeks past because I heard the name, realizing that the artist was getting a lot of positive press, and had not heard her music. What shocked me as I viewed the video was that it didn't shock or impress me much, which I'm sure it was meant to. Sleaze is commonplace now, and it just plain doesn't register any more. Don't get me wrong, it's filth. But when "Girls Gone Wild" gets multiple channels at once on late night cable, the only answer is PS2 and board games. During my teen years I was watching Monty Python's Flying Circus reruns or "Friday Night Videos"...not much was that threatening. I think I'll contact M. Night Shyamalan and start a village.

Bob,

I guess being an old-fashioned romantic the thing that bothered me most was the line, "Chivalry is dead". I would hate to be a sixteen year old girl in this day of dating when it is promoted as a sport, and even then, sometimes a team sport. To think that videos such as the aforementioned promote "Wham, bam, thank you Ma'am" sexual encounters disgusts me. My husband listens to C & W music and I used to just hate it. The last few months, I do not mind. At least the men cry over women they have loved and lost.

Tammy,

Chivalry ain't dead, but it doesn't get invited to the cocktail party either. What I hear and read is that the teen females are more aggressive sexually today than even the males are. Now there was a day that would have been a welcome statement, but then my priority at that time was knowing that Kansas grandfathered the drinking age. Country music used to be a safe bet, yes. Don't rest too comfortably. "Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy" and Honky Tonk Badonkadonk (Trace Adkins) do less than George Strait or Brad Paisley for the gentleman's image. We get what we ask for, and things run in cycles.

Bob,

I looked up the word promiscuous in Websters Unabridged Dictionary: "....having sexual relations with a number of partners on an informal or casual basis." I guess if a gal does not mind being passed around, like men share a smoke, then Nelly has got the song for them to sing. There is plenty of sperm donor volunteerism in such cases, because good news travels fast. At least in the lyrics of "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" there is recognition of need to call the Sheriff. smile But personally, I call Nelly's rendition "The Chlamydia Song."

Tammy,
I'm still trying to figure out "slap my grandma".

Today I think it's a mistake to assume the girl even FEELS "passed around". She's just as much a predator as he is. That's not a good development. Ha! "The Chlamydia Song" is hilarious. Is George Michael going to do a cover of "Convoy" now? Like comedians who can't get a laugh without shock-and-awe vulgarity, the light shines only for a short time. Who's bettin' on Britney's comeback? Not me.

Bob Miller

Abortion and Parental Involvement

Good news for concerned parents everywhere! When our government finally moves forward on an issue which belongs in the arena of states rights, affirming what is a value for the majority of American parents, it is time to cheer. We want to be involved in the health care decisions of our minor children. We brought them into the world, diapered their butts, took them to the first day of school, paid for their dental care and education. We certainly want to know if our daughters are pregnant and seeking an abortion.

When Roe vs. Wade came out of the SCOTUS chute, it gave women the right to obtain a legal abortion. What it did not address was guidelines to *keep standardized records *obtain statistical analysis *manage follow-up care issues *address the unique medical and psychological needs of minors. Making sure that health care for women who had abortions was adequate was an uphill battle for those of us who were concerned about the Doc-in-a-Box abortion industry in its infancy. Regulation was non-existent. Let me make it plain on how I feel about abortion. I am against abortion. But I am passionate about womens' health. I am against abortion. But it is the law of the land. I am against abortion. But I support the right of parents to be involved in the decision-making process when their daughter is having a surgical procedure.

In Texas, if you are a minor you cannot have an ingrown toenail removed without parental consent. Neither can you have your body pierced or a tattoo applied without the express permission of a parent or managing conservator. Under the Texas Tattoo and Body Piercing Studio Act, it is a Class A misdemeanor. It is law in Texas that a minor must have a parent involved in the decision to obtain an abortion. And in approximately 2/3 of our states, statutes exist requiring some parental involvement with minor children seeking abortions. In South Carolina the age of consent is women over the age of 17. In Delaware, consent is not required after the age of 16. Here is a graph that shows state law with regard to abortions for minors.

My bottom line is the same for many of the women with whom I discuss this issue. We love our children. We take off days from work when they have sniffles and a low-grade fever. We certainly want to know if they are having invasive surgery. And we do not want them sneaking off to another state to have it. And to the whiners who try to block parental rights activists by showcasing the few girls who suffer at the hands of a parent when admitting they are pregnant? Just stuff it. Do not punish the majority of us who have enough of a brain to take this information and deal with it in a sane manner. Do not deny us the right to guide, advise and care for our children through the tumultous teenage years. We are up to the task.

Tammy
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Hezbollah: Part II

Governments retain legitimacy when their scaffolding is due process. They sustain viable change when peaceful populist movements work for goal attainment. But with boot-on-the-ground para-military response within their borders, the foundations quake. Such is the sad lesson learned from the current altercation between Lebanon and Israel.

It has been said that if a frog is placed in a pan of water and the water is slowly heated, the amphibian will boil to death before it leaps to safety. The frog-in-the-pot today appears to be Lebanon. Seated comfortably in their little governmental pot, the leadership of Lebanon encouraged the seed of Hezbollah placed in the ground almost twenty-five years ago to be nurtured in the soil of the landscape. Today it is a formidable cedar. The frog that was comfortably warm before, now has no control over the flame of its destruction. The pot, has boiled over.

Hezbollah is the mirror for a greater problem facing Middle East governments today. In their hatred for the West, some leadership has behaved as an indulgent nanny with misbehaving children in managing the control of their para-military apparatus. But the children have grown to adulthood and now have a mind of their own. Some of these children of idealism have become adults lacking common sense. They are too big to sit on, and they are now fearsome. Oh, yes. Only privately will the Muslim speak of such things, because no individual likes to admit it when they are wrong. The same goes for governments!

Organizational structures such as Hezbollah have gained power through military acquisitions, numerical increase in ranks and informal alliances with other nations. Functioning as pseudo-governments they now seek to grasp the scepter just beyond their reach: the scepter of authority. For power is merely exhibited as the subservience of the lesser to the greater force. But legal authority is the hand that holds the pen. It is the hand that guides a nation to keep its foundations strong. And when the legal authority structure of a government to conduct its' affairs is challenged internally, when the will to either act or choose not to react is trumped by non-governmental entities, the foundation begins to crack. Hezbollah created a crack big enough to engulf the whole Lebanese nation when they unilaterally struck against Israel.

The Middle East has many strong foundational governments. I support the right of their leaders to govern the legal affairs of their people. They retain the right to sign treaties, call up their military for defense or aggression. They retain the right to oppress should they choose, or extend liberty. They have the right to allocate monies for humanitarian disasters. And in the support of their governmental rights, is the acknowledgment that other governments should retain freedom to face off with each other, sign pacts, maintain standing armies, and either care for or disregard the citizenry. But Hezbollah?

It is time for them to go.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

No White Flag in Mayberry

In episode #34 of "The Andy Griffith Show", Opie had to defend himself. Andy lurked and learned that a bully was stealing Opie's money by threatening to beat him up. There was only one way to resolve the issue. Dad's resolution included withholding the cash, knowing pain would be the result.

So, fast forward to color monitors and Katy Couric-free cable TV: My wife stormed into the home office Thursday night incensed that Greta Van Susteren had opened a segment with "...It's World War III." Now while I've heard and read this a lot over the last several days I know it not to be the case.

France has not surrendered yet.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, and worries that escalating conflict may "spiral out of control". France has "denounced the actions of Hezbollah and the disproportionate response of Israel", the leader said.

Note that "murderous", "provocative", "warmongering", nor any other accurate modifiers precede "actions of Hezbollah" though it is considered necessary to brand Israel's reaction with commentary. Memory tells me France (for many reasons) has little credibility when quelling unrest is the topic. In truth, the United Nations and the European Union (members) collectively don't have much of a track record on enforcement at all, so words (and betrayal) are all Israel or the US will ever get from them anyway.

See big bad mean Israel here?

The totality of Muslim-Jewish conflict is often portrayed as bully-and-victim. Take an honest look at a map and you can't deny which is which. Add to that reality that world leaders have taken sides and guess which of the two is on the short end again?

Given that we have decades of broken deals, unfulfilled promises, and torpedoed accords...what can be gained by more talking?

Bob Miller
treo_bob@yahoo.com

New Member of the Team

Bob Miller will be joining the blog team starting with the Monday offering. Tom Gordon will function somewhat as an Editor-at-Large until his work load slackens a bit. I run the blog like a Communist regime: we all get the same pay, which is zero or nada. So the seasonal demands of our jobs determines our ability to blog.

I will be meeting with a newspaper editor and VP of public relations this week to cull some ideas as to how we can better serve and impact our readership. Fifty million people in America now read blogs. But of the blogs available, over 75 percent function as personal diaries which are boring and self-absorbed, not worth your time. We hope that you will find this site beneficial and challenging to your thinking.

We want to offer our readers more commentary and analyses of late-breaking news, so hope that this blog will be your first "click of the day". This blog remains a free speech zone, and the diversity of political beliefs will keep the reading from becoming stagnant. This is not a blog for canal swimming journalists. It is a place where we hope that the journalism stream will always be fresh because of the free flow of thoughts. There is no gatekeeper when you post. Active criticism is accepted as long as it is free of excessive profanity. At times our polarity will show in the comments section as we dialogue with readers. Actively disagree. It will keep the site intellectually healthy.

The blog will continue to post the night prior to actual date. I have done this as a courtesy to the international readers who communicate into my e mail from different time zones, such as the UK and Germany. The profile has been updated to include Bob Miller.

From the new team of three:

Tammy Swofford
Bob Miller
Tom Gordon

Political Activism

I believe in political activism. It is good for America. I cut my teeth on activism when entering the university, where all idealistic and penniless students embark on changing the world. It started by working at a phone bank night after night where the majority of people either hung up on me or proclaimed they could care less and would add "Mickey Mouse" as a write-in candidate. It continued with street marches after rushing off chartered buses to join the growing impassioned throng, to passing out leaflets and speaking at city council meetings. Moved forward to attending party conventions and watching the red, white and blue balloons dropping and the banners and flags raised high. Back to the party candidate headquarters to stuff plastic bags and then deliver them to the neighborhoods. Onto the lawns to hammer the signs, attending dinners of candidates who suffered through their first defeat to be followed years later with an ebullient victory dinner, after the second toss into the ring! Into the homes of the influential and around the kitchen tables of average citizens I grew to love America more each day. It was in the stream of activism, that I caught the pulse of the American people.

And guess what! I don't mind those who disagree with me! Although I consider myself a moderate independent in most areas, I despise neither the far left or the ranting right wing factions. People with conviction fascinate me. But what is it that absolutely bores me? It is people who do not vote; Americans who are not interested in the issues; slothful citizens who cannot tell you what is happening with the neighbor next door, much less what is going on in the global community.

So when you see passion on the page, as in the blog "In Vitro Fertilization", please understand who I am as a person. I am an American first. But in America, is room for all. I support political activism. And know that should my next passionate encounter with you be when I "take it to the streets", and your hand-lettered sign or your shouted slogans do not match mine, it is o.k. This is America. Let it rip!

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Taking it to the Street

Yes, I have always been a political activist. This photo from the early days of my youthful activism. This is at a "March for Life" rally in Austin, Texas on January 19, 1985.


The Tamminator

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Preface to Wednesday Blog

The next blog will cover my thoughts regarding in vitro fertilization. The August issue of "Mother Jones" has an outstanding cover. It shows plastic babies floating in an ice cube tray. It reads, "Icebox Orphans and Fertility Gods." Inside are two thought-provoking articles, "Breeder Reaction" and "Souls on Ice". The blog, will include some of the facts presented from Mother Jones, but please pick up the magazine and read the articles.

In looking at all issues of life, whether it be abortion, IVF, gender selection, (Micro-sort technology) stem cell research or cloning, please consider where you stand on this pertinent question: *Is life a gift or is it a commodity?

I have a distinct awareness that as I present my conviction the door will be cracked to both insult and ridicule. That does not deter me as I post the next blog. I have learned this one thing. My compassion, cannot be allowed to cloud my rationale thoughts on this issue. But conversely, my rationale thoughts, do not negate the great compassion I feel for women with infertility issues. As you read, respond freely in return, and know that other readers will carefully consider your thoughts also.

Fondly,

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Hezbollah: Ipse Venena Bibas!

Hezbollah may consider themselves the "Party of God" but don't kid yourself. This organization is all about hate. The seed was put into the ground in 1982, the sprout broke through the ground in the 1983 bombing of our Marine barracks in Beirut, and in 1985 Hezbollah was in full bloom.

Although Hezbollah is harbored in Lebanon as both a political party with seats in the parliamentary body and a military armed resistance that is supported by both Syria and Iran, there is no respect for this group or their message in much of the world. It is speculated that Iran gives Hezbollah approximately $60 million (U.S) dollars a year in support and Syria is the official arms dealer to traffic goods and hardware to their soldiers.

Over the years, much of the normal day-to-day fighting has been a perpetual spitting contest between Israel and Hezbollah engaged in a border dispute. Israel took control of a 35 square kilometer patch of land known as the Shebaa farms region, when they occupied the Golan Heights in 1967. Although the U.N. has resolved that this land now rightfully belongs to Israel, Hezbollah continues to lay claim to it for Lebanon.

But we need to not fall into an obtuse state regarding the stakes here. Hezbollah is an international menace. They can lay claim to the dubious achievement of bringing suicide bombing into vogue as a means of warfare. Yes, you can blame these guys for that nasty little trend. In December 2002 the General Secretary of Hezbollah, Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, urged his organization to begin a global (please insert the name of your town) campaign of suicide bombings.

Even in the land of dingoes and aborigines, there is a palpable distaste for this organization. U.N. Resolution 1373 was not good enough for the Aussies. They decided to further tackle the problem in their own parliament.

Hezbollah has engaged in kidnappings for prisoner exchange, bombings in Buenos Aires and in other nations of the world. On Friday, General Secretary Nasrallah issued a lofty declaration of this fight. Calling on his Arab brothers to join the fray, calling this event "Operation True Promise", proclaiming that his forces were "adventurers", he threatened that the bombing on Haifa was only the beginning.

Meanwhile, I cannot get the picture of a Lebanese mother out of my mind. She spoke to a journalist a couple nights ago. Carrying her lightly clad toddler on her hip, she merely said, "Some of us have sick children. Why don't they just give back the soldiers, so we can go home?" But now, thousands of decent Lebanese may not be able to return to their homes. Israeli's have also lost homes and some their lives. All this, for the provocation of Hezbollah. Ten years from now, Lebanon will still be rebuilding their apartments, bridges, roads and repairing the damage to their nation brought on by Hezbollah's unwarranted actions. Israel, will probably be whistling and filing their nails in the calm manner with which their life can quickly return to normal, after smashing an opponent.

And the poisonous Hezbollah? Ipse Venena Bibas!

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

This is No Attack Dog Issue

Watchdog groups provide an early whiff to the general public on issues with which we may need to be proactive. We occasionally need such groups to give the first bark, so the rest of us can bay along.

A Texas public advocacy group and other watchdogs are barking because current Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick and his wife have received more than a million dollars from corporate foundations and business owners to renovate the 2,000 square foot apartment in the state Capitol building. It is the allocated official residence for the Speaker of the House when the legislature is in session.

The Texas director of Public Citizen is questioning the appropriateness of such expenditures. The reporter who wrote the article has not seen the apartment. It is not included as part of the tour for guests in the Capitol. Lucky for all, my eyes have peered into the corners of the place and I now feel like the member of a secret society!

Back when Pete Laney from Hale, Tx. was Speaker of the House I traveled to Austin and attended a luncheon sponsored by the legislative wives. Later that afternoon, I was a part of a very small group of women allowed to tour the official apartment in the state Capitol. When the key turned in the lock, I was rather excited. At the end of the tour, not quite so impressed. The kitchen was large but utilitarian and outdated. It rather reminded me of a kitchen suitable for an elementary school. I am not exaggerating. Yes, you could definitely cook for a crowd, but it was not the room where you would also hang out with a glass of wine and opine about politics. Paint on the walls and window treatments were a bit outdated. Rooms were small in comparison to some of our McMansions here in Dallas. Master bath definitely needed some work. Now Mrs. Laney had done a fine job of mixing in some of her own art pieces and personal taste into the mix of things, but Architectural Digest would certainly never come calling for a photo opportunity. The place was just too lacking in style. It reminded me of the elegance of a time gone by, somewhat like the old spinster who still wears white gloves to church and has not figured out that it is an outdated fashion statement.

Considering that this apartment not only functions as a home but also a place for Texas House Speaker Craddick and his wife to entertain visiting dignitaries, it does not put a burr under my saddle for the barn to get a new coat of paint. The misplaced logic of Rosalynn Carter to keep the cracked china in the White House as an appeal for the Carter family being "common folk" may have provided for a perceived jab against her by the next first lady, Nancy Reagan. In her showmanship of the official White House residence, and distinctly different style than that of Mrs. Carter we saw the pendulum swing the other direction from a Ma and Pa Kettle entertainment style to one of haute couture and cuisine. But after having viewed the Capitol apartment I do not think this is about excess. It is about necessity.

Some of the groups and business leaders who are giving generously toward this project should be applauded. If Mr. and Mrs. Craddick asked me for a hand-out I could buy them a new blender. I believe that the watchdog groups who are barking about this issue need to back off a bit. This is certainly a non-issue for me.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

NEVER FORGET

Serving on the board of directors for North DFW MOAA (Military Officers Association of America) has allowed me the distinct pleasure of working alongside retired veterans with a vast array of experience and talent.

May we never forget the service of our retired veterans to our nation.

The video clip link is approximately eleven minutes long. Please view it when you have the time. My heart caught in my throat with the final scene.


Tammy

Against the Law: The Transgression of the Muslim Community

All nations are governed by law. In absence of law a nation suffers anarchy. Such is the case in Iraq today. The daily bombings and murders of Iraqi civilians by sectarian religious factions shows an increasingly downward spiral of lawlessness among the citizens of Iraq. The video of the mutilation murder of our checkpoint soldiers, released on an Islamic website, shows the stark reality of lawlessness. When law does not prevail, butchers abound. And butchery, requires only the willingness of the participant. It requires no rules; only the casting off of all restraint. So what does Islam have to say regarding what was done to our soldiers in the manner of their death? Plenty. But let me share just a couple aspects today.

The rules of engagement for war and treatment of POW's became more clearly defined after the first decisive battle in Islam, the famous Battle of Badr. It is in Surah al-Anfal (Spoils of War) that Qur'anic direction and commentary is clearly given. (For non-Islamic scholars, that would be "chapter 8 of the Koran".) The first ayat (verse) begins: "They ask you about booty. Tell them: "The Booty belongs to Allah and his Rasool: so fear Allah, end your disputes, and correct relations among yourselves." After this battle, there had been some in-fighting among the ranks regarding distribution of the spoils of war between the ones who had collected it and the ones who had continued to pursue the enemy in the fight. The rule was established that 1/5 of the booty belonged to Allah and his Messenger and the remainder was distributed among the fighters evenly.

The Qur'anic revelation proceeds with the building of the Islamic community from a band of a few men, to a recognized nation of people with sovereign domain. So early revelation allowed for taking and ransoming of prisoners. Prisoners were traditionally offered bread, which was considered a valued portion of the meal. They were ransomed back to their families and life went on. But it was after the Battle of Badr (when it was noted that some who had been ransomed, returned to the fight against the Muslims) that the Qur'anic injunction was given to take no POW's until the land had been totally subdued.

Qur'an 8:67 "It is not fit for a Prophet that he should take prisoners of war until he has thoroughly subdued the land."

So the rules of engagement became two-fold. Prisoners of war were not to be taken, all combatants killed, until victory was secured. But when prisoners of war were taken, the precedent was no ill treatment, and ransom was established on a sliding fee scale based on the captive's financial situation. Now, is there a definite historical biography to further show how captives should be treated? Yes there is! And it is found in the story of a man named Suhail bin 'Amr.

"In captivity, there was as eloquent orator called Suhail bin 'Amr. "Umar suggested that they pull out his front teeth to disable him from speaking, but the Prophet turned down his suggestion for fear Quraish would retaliatate in the same manner on one hand, and on the other for fear of Allah's wrath on the Day of Resurrection." Kind of looks like torture is forbidden, doesn't it?

Reference: Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum, (The Sealed Nectar) Biography of the Noble Prophet, Dar-us-Salam Publications Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, pp.231,232

So the men who butchered and mutilated our soldiers and also reveled in video taping the whole mess.... Where do they stand on the stage of Islam? You decide. And for Iraq? They will fall under the penalty of either their law, or worse yet, the penalty of their lawlessness.


Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

al-Jihad bil Qalam

Have you viewed the video released from the Islamic web site on the mutilation death of our two soldiers from Iraq? I just viewed it again. Since its release I have searched Islamic jurisprudence, the Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad to clarify these issues in my own mind.

Later today, I will post an open letter to the Ummah (Muslim Community) as to what I have found regarding such acts, based on their own belief system. The blog will be open to any Islamic scholars who care to dispute or further debate the findings. My e mail will also be available.


Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Semper Fidelis

Dear Readers,

Below is a link which was sent to me by a retired Air Force officer. Please note the third photo from the end. We saved our Vietnam Vets and put them on ventilators where they developed ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome) which we then learned to treat properly. Many came home to PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) although we were slow in developing both diagnosis and treatment.

In Gulf I we were a bit luckier. We kicked Iraq out of Kuwait and secured their sovereign borders and came home. We did not need the multitude of body bags which were shipped and allocated, even before substantial troop build up.

Operation Enduring Freedom is a bit of a different story for field medicine. Our "save rate" for battlefield injuries is now over ninety-five percent. Our young men and women who two decades ago would have died from their injuries can now be saved. Our shock/trauma treatment is much more advanced, as are battlefield medicine capabilities. I work with a anethesiologist who just returned from Afghanistan, and the field capabilities are outstanding. But with the decrease in battlefield fatalities is the concurrent increase in the numerical amount of troops returning with traumatic amputations and wounds that greatly effect body image. Our prosthetics research departments, rehabilitation hospital wings and client service departments have worked very hard to meet the needs of our returning wounded amputees. But one day, each amputee must then return to their own community and try to make the transition back to a civilian life.

When they return and you see them in the grocery stores, with their families at the park or eating at a restaurant please take a moment to thank them. It does not matter what you personally think of the war on terror. The returning wounded kept the oath. For that, we should extend gratitude. And the Marine rendering a salute from a wheelchair? That picture, really puts a lump in my throat. Semper Fi, Marine.

LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC

Military Accountability

Having served for twelve years as an officer in the Naval Reserves I have come to grasp and appreciate the culture of accountability and merits of residing under a chain of command. When I took my oath of office and found myself at DCO school (direct commissioned officer) in Pensacola, Florida four months later, the shock of the environment could not have been any greater than if I had joined a motorcycle gang like "Hell's Angels" instead.

Withstanding inspections in a dress uniform where the least little hair out of place, or inadvertent missed loose thread on the garment were castigated vigorously by the Drill Sargeant was just the beginning stage of adaptation to military routine. Learning to ask "permission to speak" was difficult for this woman, as were grasping other military courtesies and formalities afforded senior officers by those junior to them in rank.

Moving into field operations and training I learned very quickly that the military does allow a "training time out" if the participant does not fully understand the execution of the command. But you WILL go through the "confidence chamber" in full MOPP 4 level gear, you WILL learn to shoot that M16 no matter how tired your shoulders and you WILL work 48 hours with four hours of sleep if it suits the command staff. Accountability is something the military takes very seriously across the board. I have to be accountable for my own actions. In other instances, I have called others to account residing under me in the chain of command.

Now we see the media glare focused on our military forces. Investigations are moving forward on anything from kidnapping and murder, to the latest, breaking investigation of rape and murder of a woman and her family in Iraq by our soldiers. While the very public nature of what we are seeing on the pages of our newspapers makes me shudder as a military officer, I lose neither composure nor focus. There is a retained commitment to the ideals which I have learned. The fiber of who I am as a military officer has been instilled in me by other disciplined officers whose leadership I have both trusted and respected. The accountability we require in the smallest of things will also be reflected in the accountability which will be required when military investigations are complete, and if necessary, charges brought. Although personally repulsed by the thought that a man or woman who wears the uniform could choose to dishonor it by not holding to a code of ethics, I also know that such things happen. They happen because morality cannot be dispensed in pill form, offered as an immunization or pinned onto the chest with a ribbon offered by the military command. The military command can only teach, train and carry out the plan of the day. Each soldier or sailor then has to make the right choice. So for any who choose to kidnap, rape or murder there is no justification. But there will be: accountability.

LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC